1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to a seismic device, and more particularly to a discriminating seismic trigger.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
The potentially devastating effects of seismic variances, such as earthquakes, is well known. Detectors exist which trigger alarms in response to seismic activity. Such detectors may be utilized for warning workers in hazardous environments, such as mines or construction sites, in systems designed to shut-down nuclear reactors and to stop trains, and in other alarm or control systems. However, extant detectors are often unreliable in that they trigger false alarms in response to cultural seismic variances or due to instrument malfunction. The costs associated with such false alarms can be substantial, such as the unnecessary shut-down of a nuclear power plant.
Severe seismic disturbances sometimes generate so-called "tidal waves" (called "tsunamis" in some areas), which can cause devastation to coastlines in their path. Seismic variance detectors presently in existence are not capable of reliably discriminating between large seismic disturbances, which may trigger a tidal wave, and smaller seismic disturbances which are not likely to generate significant tidal waves.